Pumping device for player pianos



Jan 111.16, 15923,

31,442,5(D'7 A. YOUNG. PUMPING Dawes FOR PLAYER Pumas.

FILED JULY 12. I921.

, ll .29 p l? 12 g F42 v \M A! A F I J J W nwE/vmr @zzgml Maw A TTOHIVEY Patented Jan. 16, 1923,

PATENT AUGUST -YOU1\TG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PUMPING DEVICE FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

Application filed July 12,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the county of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumping Devices for Player Pianos, of which the following is a description.

The present invention relates to improvements in pumping devices for player pianos, reproducing pianos, musical instruments and the like, and it consists in the arrangement and disposition of the main and supplementary sections which together form a unitary wind chest, in combination with a peculiar and novel arrangement of pumps acting in conjunction both with the main and supplementary sections of the wind chest and being grouped for actuation from a central source of power.

An object of the invention resides in the compact and effective distribution of the various parts and instrumentalities of the pumping device and its actuating means and in the provision of atwo-fold source of power for severally operating the sets of pumps of the main wind chest section and for operating those of the auxiliary and supplementary sections, and, furthermore, in the construction of the supporting means and in the arrangement and disposition of the wind chest sections and pumps in relation to such supporting means;

l/Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, with parts of the wind chest and pumps illus 'trated in section, of an improved pijimping device constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the treadlcs in folded position.

Fig. 4 is a'perspective view of the crank shaft and sheave; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view 1921. Serial No. 484,184.

with a portion of one of the supports shown in section and illustrating certain connections between one of the treadles and its corresponding pump.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a base upon which are erected a pair of supports 2 and 3 suitably spaced apart and having their upper ends cut off on diagonal lines, as indicated at 4 in Figs. 2 and 3. The supports 2 and 3 are adapted to receive and sustain a main section 5 of the wind chest which is supported in the inclined position shown and which extends outwardly beyond the supports 2 and 3 and encompasses a suitably large area to meet the requirements of the device.

In accordance with the invention 1 further provide wind chest supplementary or auxiliary sections 6 and 7 extending at substantially right angles to the main section 5 and having the inner spaces therein placed in direct and uninterrupted communication with the spaces of said main section. The auxiliary or supplementary sections 6 and 7 extend to the base 1 and find a support thereupon, the auxiliary sections referred to being disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of the supports 2 and 3 and serving in some measure at least, to sustain the outer wings of the main section 5 which lie be yond the supports 2 and 3.

A pair of bellows pumps 8 and 9 provided with the usual valves communicating respectively with the interior of the main section 5 of the wind chest and the atmosphere, are provided in conjunction with such main section, and for purposes of mechanical advantage they are mounted preferably directly upon the upper surface of said main wind chest section.

Brackets 10 and 11 project from the upper movable portions of the pumps 8 and 9 and are connected to the upper ends of coil springs 12 and 13 which are a'flixed at their 7 tendant.

The upper movable sections of the pumps are provided preferably at their central portions with arms l-l as shown in F ig. 2 which extend rearwardly and pivotally receive links 15 and 1 thelatter lying parallel with and beyond the rear portion of the device and extending down near the lower portion or base'l, where such links are received in the bifurcated rear ends 17, and pivot-ally secured'therein as indicated at 18, of the rearwardly.projecting arms 19 of bell crank levers which project through the respective supports 2 and 3 and are appropriately journalled therein. These bell crank levers include shafts 2t) lying horizontally through the supports and being journaled for oscillating movement therein, the openings made in the supports being preferably reinforced bybearing or wear plates 21 and 22 affixed to opposite sides of the support, as shown in Fig. 5.

The forward ends of the arms .19 are preferably provided, as more particularly shown in Fig. 5, with sleeves 23 slidable on the projecting ends of the shafts 20 and adjustable angularly thereon, they being provided with set screws 24 bywhich the shafts'and arms are secured rigidly together subsequent to the adjustment. This provides for changes in the throw of the links 15 and 1G and consequentlyinthe actions and pumping capacities of the pumps 8 and 9. The inner ends of the shafts 20 are bent downwardly, providing arms 25 forming opposite portions of the bell crank structure and'being also bifurcated.-as indicated at 26, to. pivotally receive the rear ends of connecting links 27 which are pivoted to the .treadles 28 and 29. A treadle stand 30 is provided in conjunction with the two treadles 28- and 29 and the treadles are in accordance with a usual construction of like mechanical arrangements pivoted or hinged to the stand 30at their lower ends, located,

of course, a suitable distance apart for the convenient operation of the attendant.

The treadle stand is provided with feet 31 to rest in front of-th'e base 1 which constructed with a beam 32 atits forward end upon which upwardly offset brackets 33 are adapted'to clear when the t-readle stand is in the normal operative position. These brackets 33 are connected at their forward lower ends to the treadle stand '30 and they are turned in opposite directions at substantially right angles to provide trunnions 31 shown in F 1, at their rear upper ends which engage in suitable bearings in the-supports 2 and The trunnioned ends 34 of the brackets are preferablybent downwardly a short distance for purposes of clearing links 4-1-15 pivoted to crank portion 37 and to yield. a more compact mechanical 30131011 in permitting of the folding of the treadles between the :sup

ports 2 and 3 in the manner shown in Fig. 3, which is accomplished by merely lifting the stand 30 together with the treadles, the parts taking the position indicated.

If desirable, of course the base 1 may be a suitable plat-form mounted upon the wheels or 'castors and may be entirely independent of the remaining portions of the apparatus which is associated with the supports 2 and 3, and such supports 2 and 3 may be lifted off the platform 1 whenever desired, or in case the apparatus is to become a permanent fixture in a specific location. The wheeled .platform, of course,

forms bottom of. piano or instrument.

Mounted in conjunction with the supplementary or auxiliary wind chest sections (3 and 7 are pairs of pumps, also of a bellows type,equipped with suitable valves and op erating in a well known customary manner, such pairs of pumps being mounted on the interior vertical walls of the sections 6 and '7 and being operated from a central transmission agency which includes a crank shaft 36 shown more particularly in F ig. 4, and having crank'portions 37 and 38 which are disposed at right angles or a 90 angular distance apart. A sheave or grooved wheel 39 is mounted on the crank shaft 36 at the rear of the machine to receive a belt 40 connected with and driven by an electrical motor 41 which may also find a suitable sup-- port upon the base 1. Obviously the crank shaft 36 may be driven by other suitable source of power. Such shaft 36 islocated centrally beneath the main wind chest section 5 and approximately midway between the supplementary sections 6 and 7, and between treadles 28 and 29 for clearing hearing 42 in case of folding. The bearings 42 and 43 may be made'to depend from the main wind chest sections at=this point to form a supportfor the crankshaft.

As shownto better advantage in Figs. 2 and 3, the upper portions of the supports 2 and 3 are reduced above wider basal portions in order-to permit of the passage at opposite sides of the support of pairs of links 4 1, 45, and 4L6. 47. of Fig. 1 which engage with. thelink portions 37 and 38 Figs. 2'and 3Jand with the various pumps associatedwith the sections 6 and 7. For

instance, the link 44 is connected to a pump 4.8 and to the crank 'po1tion 37, while the adjacent link 45 connects with a pump 19 disposed alongside the pump "18 and with with the windehest and is preferably hold at the exterior side of the supplementary section (3, as shown in Fig. 1, although more than one receiver may be provided if desired or found necessary, on supplementary section 7.

In use, either source of power may be utilized, or, in desirable cases both sources may be resorted to, to obtain a two-fold action, if desired, at the same time. In cases where electricity is not obtainable, for instance, the treadle stand 30 may be folded out to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the operator may ply the treadles 28 and 29 which are set for alternate actuation, and in so doing he will oscillate the bell crank levers and communicate a vertical reciprocating movement to the linksl5 and 16 by which the bellows portions 8 and 9 are distended and collapsec. The treadles will be raised after each actuation to an initial position by therestoration of the parts through the action of the springs or other devices 12 and 13.

The pumps Sand 9 constitute the main pumps and they will probably ordinarily suflice to provide a sufficiently strong action, but their operation may be discontinued in case a power source is to be had with which to rotate the crank shaft 36.

When the crank shaft is turned it will actuate the two sets of pumps in association with thesupplementary wind chest sec tions 6 and 7, and these pumps, although individually small, are designed to have substantially the same capacity as the pumps 8 and 9, andwill therefore produce a substantially like result in the wind chest due to revolution of disk pulley 39. In this case the crank shaft is centrally mounted with only two crank portions, and the pumps are alternately actuated by the connection of four separate links to such crank portions, and the arrangement is exceedingly compact and exerts a direct mechanical effort against the work to be performed.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the sectional character of the wind chest yields a comparatively large capacity in a minimum of space, and with a twofold provision of pumps the device may be actuated wherever mechanical. power is to be had, or in its absence by the effort of the attendant. the actuating mechanisms for the pumps being centrally located and housed within and between the supports and the wind chestsections, and the two power sources being entirely independent and the treadles when folded being entirely out of the way and not, in any case, interfelting: with the action of the crank shaft and the position of pumps 48, 50, 51.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arcon ectingg mechanisms between sl wind chest members built in between menibers of the foot pmver pump-inc mechani 2-3. .21 pumping device for player pianos and the like comprising a wind chest com posed of a main section and a phn'ality of auxiliary sections, the dLlXillt v sections being spaced apart and nn... :1 section being disposed above the auxiliary sections .l

communicating therewith, pui'npingz; device, mounted. above the main section, treudle actuating mechanisms for said nun'ipingr devices, auxiliary pumping dei for said an 'liary sections a at u powe shaft disposed below said main and between said auxilia y and above the peri r ie pod mechanisnns when in folded p n devices player "ing: a base, a disposed horizr itally above supplementary wind. chests disp, ed apart from each other and connectino said base with said main wind chest and communicating therewith, pumping devices for said main wind chest, tr adle actuating mechanisms therefor, pm 9' devices mounted on the inner faces 01. aid supplementary wind chests, and a power driven actuating mechanism disposed. between said. last named pumping: devices.

6. pumping device for player pianos and the like ccinprising a main and supplementary wind chest se tions combined to form a unit with intercomi'mmicetin51" spaces, supporting: means for the main section disposed between the siunvlenwutary sections, pumping means for the main serliou, other pumping means for the sin, enientar v sew tions, and a power trap. Z llion uiechanimn mounted "een the sup r means and beneath the main section, s id permission shaft and said auxiliary puni LL gumping IllCCllul' pianos and the like compii main wind chest said has means being); in operative relation to the last named mmping: means.

(3. pumping device for player pianos and the like comprising a base. s=-rupporis erected thereon, a main wind chest section inclined. to the horizontal and held on said supports, pumping means associated with said section, supplementary sections extending from the main section downwardly to the base and outside of said supports, a pair I of pumps associated with the main section, actuating means for driving the pumps alternately, a pair of pumps associated with each supplementary section, and a common transmission means mounted substantially centrally of the device and having alternate actuating means for the last mentioned pumps.

7. A pumping device for player pianos comprising main supports, a wind chest supported thereby, pumps associated with the wind chest, treadles tor driving the pumps foldahle between the main supports, a second set of pumps, and a transmission mechanism below the wind chest and having connection to the second set of pumps, said horizontal transmission mechanism being situated between the main supports and above the folding treadles,

8. A. pumping device for player. pianos comprising a main and supplementary wind chest sections, pumps associated with both the main and the supplementary sections,

foldable treadles for actuating one set otthe pumps, electrically driven means above the treadles lor actuating the other set of pumps, said last named means being situated sufliciently remote from the treadles to permit of the folding of the treadles therebeneath without regard to the position of the transmission mechanism and its connection with the pumps. V

9.1a pumping device for player pianos comprising main andsupplementary wind chest sections, pumps connected with the main section, toot driven links for actuating the pumps, a second set of pumps associated wit-lithe supplementary sections, links connected thereto, a power shaft for driving the last named links, said powershat't being siti'lated between the foot operated links, and a sheave on the power shaft extending beyond. the first mentioned links to permit the belt to clear thelatt-er.

10. A pumping device for player pianos comprising main and supplementary wind chest sections, independent sets of pumps associated with the main and supplementary sections, said pumps associated with the supplementary sections being spaced apart, treadles for actuating the main section pumps situated between the supplementary section pumps and toldable upwardly therebetween, and a power mechanism between the supplementary pumps and connected thereto and being above the treadles and sufiiciently remote to permit of the folding of the treadlestherebeneath.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

AUGUST YOUNG. 

